White Specks in Dog Poop [How Bad Is It?]

Talks about dog poop can be deemed gross or disgusting, but such discussions are vital because poop closely correlates with dog health.

Monitoring your furry friend’s mess to see if it has changed color or become loose or firm is ideal for checking its health.

white specks in dog poop
White specks in dog poop [How bad is it?]

While at it, you may have noticed some small white particles inside your dog’s stool. But what exactly does that mean to the well-being of your friend? Is it a cause for alarm?

White specks in dog poop can be scary but are not always a cause for alarm. It could be anything from medication to food remnants. That doesn’t mean that you should ignore them.

Any slight changes in dog poop should be addressed immediately with a vet to prevent something worse from happening.

How to Check Dog’s Poop for Tiny White Specks?

Doing this may sound gross, but you have to do it if you care so much about the dog. You need to get too close to monitor your dog’s stool with the naked eye.

Thorough checking is not just about spotting white bits but seeing any significant changes that threaten a dog’s life.

Should you see white in your dog’s stool, the main idea now is to check whether they are moving or not. Here is where you get even closer and concentrate more for about thirty seconds. Your aim is not to only give it a glance and move because sometimes the spots may look stationary while, in reality, they’re moving.

If you’re sure the tiny white particles in the dog poop aren’t moving, you shouldn’t get worried. They’re probably some food remnants that never got digested, like white rice, or maybe the poop is dotted with maggot eggs.

However, if you see them moving, it becomes a severe case that needs immediate intervention from the vet. These are worms indicating that the dog has an infection in the intestinal tract. If you don’t address the issue of worms in your dog, it could lead to other health problems.

poodle getting checked by vet
A white Poodle getting checked by a veterinarian.

Causes of White Specks in Dog Poop

There are diverse causes of tiny white spots in a dog’s stool. Some of these causes are harmless, but others require urgent medical attention. Here are the most common reasons why there could be tiny white bits inside dog poo.

Undigested Rice and Grains

Generally, rice and grains are food made for human consumption, but we sometimes feed our dogs. Your dog may be having problems digesting such meals, so they pass through their digestive system as white spots. You’ll see them in a dog pop once they pass it out.

It’s not always about grains and rice. A dog may have eaten a white sock or napkin or other food, especially from the garbage. These too may pass through their system as white particles in their stool since they don’t get digested properly.

The best thing to do is always check your compound for any substance that can harm your furry friend before letting them roam around. You can also watch them whenever they’re free to run around.

small dog eating costume
A small dog eating while on costume.

Traces of Bones

It isn’t uncommon to find traces of bones in a dog’s food. Most dogs have a problem digesting bones, so they’ll pass it out as small white spots visible in their poop. Thankfully, such bones don’t pose any danger to your dog.

On rare occasions, bones in your dog’s food can irritate their intestinal tract, leading to bacterial infection. To avoid such a situation altogether, avoid buying raw meat-based foods for the dog.

Dogs are omnivores that mostly need meat though. You can try vegan foods occasionally to see if your dog loves them.

labrador eating a smoked dog bone
A Labrador sniffs a smoked dog bone

Undigested Pills

Perhaps your dog is sick and is currently under medication. Or maybe the dog took some pills accidentally. The non-moving white bits in the dog’s stool could result from the undigested pills the dog took.

Some dogs’ digestive systems, especially the older ones, find it difficult to absorb and digest the hard white casing in pills. These pills are excreted in the form of white dots in dog poop.

mini goldendoodle wearing hoodie
This Mini Goldendoodle is rocking a sweatshirt and hoodie, channelling some serious Eminem vibes.

Fly or Maggot Eggs

Dogs have a habit of hiding whenever they want to ease themselves. You may not have noticed the dog’s feces immediately and only collected it after some time. Poop will draw flies if not collected immediately.

The flies get attracted to it so they can feed on it and would later lay eggs on it.

The white spots inside dog poo could be larvae from the laid eggs. Although this doesn’t pose any risk to your dog’s health, the increase of eggs and larvae could contaminate your backyard later. This contamination could bring infections putting both you and your dog at risk.

My advice here is to always be on the lookout for your dog. Collect poop once your dog finishes its messy business.

Could White Specks in Dog’s Poop Be Worms?

If the white bits mixed in with the dog’s stool are moving, they are probably worms needing immediate attention. Different worms can be present in a dog’s stool, indicating a health issue. These are:

  • Tapeworms
  • Hookworms
  • Roundworms
curly coat goldendoodle
A Goldendoodle lies down on the couch.

Tapeworms

When your dog accidentally eats an infected flea, they get tapeworms in their system. These worms are parasites that feed on the dog’s intestines. If not treated immediately, they mature and lay eggs inside the dog.

When the dog poops, they release these eggs, which look like tiny grains on their poop.

Hookworms

These parasites feed on the dog’s intestines and take all the nutrients. Dogs get hookworms from eating infected poops, their mothers, or digging infected soils.

They put the dog in an anemic state by suckling blood. Hookworms look like tiny moving noodles on dog poop.

Roundworms

Dogs get roundworms by eating infected feces, digging infected soils, or suckling infected mothers. Check out white strings in your dog’s stool to see if the dog has roundworms.

There are also other worms in a dog’s poop that you can’t see with your naked eyes, such as whipworms and heartworms.

Seek vet guidance if you suspect your dog has worm infestation. The vet might recommend the following deworming medications:

  • ProSense Safe-Guard
  • Panacur Dewormer
  • Nemex Wormer
  • Durvet Triple Wormer

Final Thoughts

Non-moving white particles in dog poop are nothing to worry about as they’re commonly associated with what the dog ate.

If the white spots aren’t moving, consider taking your dog to a qualified vet for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Never ignore any changes in a dog’s stool, be it color or consistency, because they tell you the current health state of the dog.